German astronaut candidate tells campers to 'reach for the stars'

Lisa Marie Haas, one of six candidates to become the first female German astronaut, encouraged STEPS campers at a luncheon June 21 to never give up pursuing their dream job. 

Haas' presentation was part of the Science, Technology and Engineering Preview Summer (STEPS) Day Camps for area middle school girls, organized by the Padnos College of Engineering and Computing. 

Haas said she knew she wanted to become an astronaut since she was a little girl. 

"I looked up at the stars all the time and loved how there was no ceiling; the atmosphere is the only thing that separates us from space," Haas said. "I knew I wanted to explore and see what's out there, so I decided to study physics." 

Haas received a doctorate in physics from the University of Heidelberg in Germany and joined Bosch in 2012 as a research and development engineer. She applied to become an astronaut in 2016, joining more than 400 female applicants. After several rounds of assessments and tests, she and five other women were named finalists.

"Our cognitive and physical abilities were tested and we went through psychological and medical evaluations," she said. "It was tough, but through it all, I didn't give up."

During the camp, students attended classes, engaged in topics such as coding and aerodynamics and visited the Gerald R. Ford International Airport to see airplanes. Haas joined campers at the Warped Wing Fly Field in Allendale June 21 when they flew the airplanes they designed and built during the camp. 

The first round of STEPS Day Camp was June 18-21; the second camp is June 25-28. Visit gvsu.edu/steps for more information.